Violence in prison: an urgent need for action
Once again, acts of violence have occurred in prison, specifically in Salerno, where a detainee “armed with a small knife attacked a prison officer, causing cuts and a fractured humerus due to a strong push against a wall, resulting in a prognosis of 15 days.” This information was made known by the Sappe union, with regional secretary Tiziana Guacci.
According to the statement from the union representative, the incident took place around 7 pm in the Salerno-Fuorni prison, where “the detainees in the ‘transit section’ refused to accept another detainee. The prison officer responsible for the control and supervision of the section, alone and through persuasion, managed to maintain order and have the new detainee accepted. However, when the gate to the section was opened to let him in, the rest of the detainee population managed to escape and reach the offices. Alone and through persuasion, the police officer managed to bring the detainees back to their respective sections, except for one detainee classified as medium security, who, armed with a small knife, attacked his colleague, causing cuts and a fractured humerus due to a strong push against a wall, resulting in a prognosis of 15 days.”
“In the confusion,” the union representative further explains, “the police officer tried to activate the alarm for help, but unsuccessfully, as it was not functioning due to other critical events that had occurred in the previous days.” Guacci informs us that this detainee is “well known at the Salerno Penitentiary because he has already been involved in disruptive and dangerous incidents in the past. Therefore, the prison management’s request for his transfer has been in vain.”
“This cannot continue,” highlights the union representative. “It is necessary to prevent prison officers from being continuously and repeatedly attacked by problematic and recidivist detainees with violent behavior. We demand the immediate transfer of the detainee in question, as already evaluated and requested by the Salerno Penitentiary’s management.” Sappe General Secretary Donato Capece also condemns the serious incident: “With these further serious acts of violence, the number of police officers involved in serious incidents caused by unscrupulous detainees is increasing dramatically. We express our utmost solidarity and support to all colleagues at the Salerno Penitentiary. These recent events should make the management of the Institute and the Region reflect.”
